Shire



mo Model.) W. A. BENNETT 'WHIFPLETREH Patented May 5, 1896.

lnven rer Wi mesSes UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

XVLLIAM A. BENNETT, OF MANCHESTER, NEYV HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR OFTHREE-FOURTHS TO CARRIE M. BENNETT, OF HOOKSETT, NEXV HAMP- SHIRE.

WHlFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,353, dated May 5,1896.

Application filed April 4, 1895. Serial No. 544368. (No model.)

T all whom 't may conccrn:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A.'BENNETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Manchester, in the county of Hillsborough and State ot' NewHampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWhiflietrees; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable o othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to whiffietrees for either a single or doublehitche., it is equally well adapted to a pole carry- 5 ing twowhiliictrees as to a pair of shafts which carry but one. 1th theeXception of the thillcouplings there is probably nothing pertaining tothe general Construction of a carriage which causes such constantannoyance as the whiffletree. This results from many causes.

Some rattle at their connection with the crossbar. Others are so tightlysecured by their pivot as to be too stiff to prevent the irregnlarmotion of a horse being felt by those Who ride behind him. Some are neatand tasty, while others, being strong enough, are clumsy. Another greatsource of annoyance is that the driving-reins will frequently catchunder the ends of a whiflietree. v

The object of this invention is to provide a whifiietree which shall beat once handsome in appearance, simple in Construction, and which avoidsthe foregoing difficulties.

To this end my invention consists, essentially, in a whiffietreecomposed of a single piece of flexible steel, and in the novel means ofmounting and attaching the same to either the cross-bar of a pole orshafts, all of which, together with other novel features of the in-Vention, will be fully set forth in the following specification andclaims, and clearly illustrated in drawings which accompany and form apart of the same, of which- Figure 1 is a broken elevation of a portion5 of one of my improved whifiletrees mounted upon one end of across-bar, which is shown attached to a pole for a double hit-ch, Fig. 2being an elevation showing my improved whiffletree as when detached.Fig. 3 is a seco tional elevation showin a ortion of m imb 3 provedwhiifletree, a porton of a cross-bar,

and my improved connection for the same. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan of'the whiffletree, showing the Construction of its hearing-plate. Fig. 5is a broken plan of the cross-bar, showing the construction of itsbearing-plate. Figs. 6 and 7 are details showing modifications of thebearing-plates. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing an end of awhifiletree and a portion of cross-bar, to which is applied my improvedrein-guard.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts throughout the variousviews.

A represents a cross-section of an ordinary pole for a double hitch, andB is a cross-bar for the same, upon which to mount the whiffletrees, oneonly of the latter being shown so mounted. p

B represents a cross-bar for a single hitcl.

My improved connection for the whiffletree, adapted for use upon eitherof the crossbars B B comprises two plates O D, the former being securedby screws X to either bar y B B', and the latter may be attached to, butis preferably formed integral with, a sleeve E, the opening throughwhich is of equal height and width its entire length, and adapted toreceive my improved Whiflietree F, which is composed of a single pieceof fiexible steel, preferably tapered toward its ends, where suitabletug-holders f are provided. Midway from its ends the whifiletree isprovided in itslower' edge with a slot f', which forms part of myimproved means for fastening the same in proper position within thesleeve E, which is accomplished in the following manner:

The plate C, besides havingthe perforations for the screws X, isprovided with a central perforation c, around which is formed at itsupper edge an annular flange c and the plate D has a central cylindricalboss d, which is sufficiently long to eXtend nearly through theperforation c of the plate C, and the boss (Z is provided with a centralthreaded perforation d', and surrounding the boss (Z is an annulargroove or recess CP, registering with the flange c' of the plate C. Athreaded stucl or bolt Gr, which may have an ordinary head fortightening by a screw-driver or Wrench, is passed upward through eithercross-bar B 'B', through the opening c of the plate C, and

IOO

fitted to the threaded opening d of the plate D, passing through thelatter far enough to enter the slot f' of the whiflietree F, and thussecures the latter within the sleeve E while forming a firm connectionbetween the whiffietree and cross-bar.

thread at each end, as shown, provided with a suitably-threaded nut H,having a tapered portion h fitted to the tapered perforation i, formedfor the purpose in the metal plate I, secured to the under side of thecross-bar, and through which the threaded stud Gr will pass. ThisConstruction pernits of ready adjustnent for taking up the wear andpreventing any rattle of the whifiietree.

As a means of limiting the rotative motion of the whiffletree when thesame is applied to a pair of shafts, I form a lateral projection (2 uponthe fiange c' of the plate C, which registers with a recess 61 properlylocated at one side of the annular groove (P, care being taken that thesaid recess be enough wider than the projection 0 to permit sufficientmovement of the whiffletree, or instead of the foregoing the plate C maybe provided with a tongue 0 located on one of its edges, as seen in Fig.7, said tongue being adapted to rest within a groove d formed for thepurpose in one edge of the plate D, as seen in Fig. 6, eitherConstruction serving a good purpose.

To prevent the reins from catching under the end of the whiffietree, Iprovide a suitable stiff strap J, one end of which is attached to across-bar and the other provided with a loop j, which is made a tightfit for the tugholders f of the whiffletree F. After having placed thetugs upon the tug-holders this loopj oi' the strap J has only to bepressed upon the holders f, and as their ends are concealed, or at leastdo not project through the loops, the reins have nothing on which tocatch.

It is obvious that the coupling device which I have shown herein isreadily adapted for In lieu of the ordinary i head mentioned for thisscrew or bolt G, I prefer to use for the purpose a screw having a useupon any whifiietree, whether made of wood or metal. I do not thereforeoonfine myself to its use only upon a whiffletree of my improvedConstruction.

If desired, a metal loop d may be formed upon one side of thebearing-plate D of the whiffletree to receive a strap K, attached to thecross-bar to serve the purpose of a guard.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. A whiffletree composed of a single piece of steel and providedrnidway from its ends with a slot located in its lower edge said steelbeing preferably fiexible and confined at its center within a suitablemetal sleeve forming part of the whiffietree-coupling a retaining-bolteXtending from the cross-bar threaded to a perforation in said sleeveand extending through the same and into the slot in said whitfletree,substantially for the purpose set forth.

2. In awhiffletree-coupling, abearing-plate attached to the whiffietreeprovided with a tapered cylindrical projection having a central threadedperforation, a bearing-plate for the cross-bar having a central taperedperforation adapted to receive the tapered projection of thewhiflietree-plate, a screw-stud having threads at both ends, one endbeing threaded to the Whiffletree-plate and the other passing downwardthrough the cross-bar, and through a metal plate attached to its underside, said metal plate being provided with a tapered opening, and theadjacent end of said screw-stud being fitted with a nut having a taperedportion fitting the tapered opening of the metal plate, allsubstantially for the purpose set forth.

In testim'ony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. BENNETT.

XVitnesses:

J. B. THURSTON, LEONARD G. SMTH.

